Archive for the ‘Orissa’ Category

GUNUPUR: Four bullets were removed from the body of the woman Maoist who was killed yesterday in a crossfire between police and the Naxals at Ladri forest under Gudari. The body of the Naxal was brought here today for autopsy.

Rayagada SP Asish Kumar Singh told mediapersons that Rs 10,000 cash was recovered from the pocket of the Naxal but her identity is yet to be established.

It is believed that she might be a part of the Chhattisgarh or Andhra Pradesh Maoist group, said Singh, adding, combing would continue in the area.

PARALAKHEMUNDI, Dec. 16: After a few months of dormancy the CPI (Maoist) have started circulating Press releases to a few select reporters, indicating their presence in Gajapati. Since the past one-and-half years there have been no major Naxalite activities as far as Gajapati District is concerned, though there have been reports of some incidents from the neighbouring Rayagada District, ~ the maximum mayhem being reported from Malkangiri .

The first letter, allegedly signed by the Secretary of CPI (Maoist)(Orissa State Organisation Unit) Sunil had lambasted the Central government and state government for falling prey to the dictums of World Bank.

The Press release has condemned the state government for using excessive force for implementing industrialisation and liberalisation at the cost of the common people.

“The CM Mr Naveen Patnaik, the finance minister Mr Prafulla Ghadei and the BJD strong man Damodar Rout are hell bent on bringing in Posco and TATA even though there is massive resistance from the people, especially the local residents who are being displaced to meet the whims of big industry houses,” said Sunil in the letter. The CPI(Maoist) will continue to assist the poor, innocent, down trodden people whether it is at Nandigram or Kalinganagar said this letter.

Another letter received only a couple of days after the first one has a more aggressive tone and in stringent voice threatens to start a war against the state if the government does not change its industrialisation policy. This letter spits venom blasts Orissa and Chattisgarh police for killing innocents in the name of Naxalite supporters, and cites the name of Nandalal Mirdha, Anil Khes and Dasarthi Pradhan who were abducted by the armed police in the Deogarh and Sundergarh zone and were later produced before the Press as surrendered naxalites. The Press release also points out that one of their cadres Giresh alias Dhiren Das alias Moharu Mohato from Jharkhand last month and also the couple James and Sujata arrested from Sambalpur this month are being tortured for information and not been treated as prisoners.

The letter reveals that their cadres have been instructed to attack police and politicians who supported the industrial houses who are hell bent in displacing thousands of poor in Orissa. The letters are dated 8th and 9th of this month, typed in Oriya and has been posted locally .

SAMBALPUR: In a major success, Deogarh police on Tuesday arrested top Maoists – Chintamani Patta of Sibapali and Sashi Bhusan Deb of Rangamatia. While Chintamani was arrested from the house of his maternal uncle at village Nagadihi under Deogarh Police limits where he had taken shelter due to his failing health, Sashi Bhusan, a sympathiser (Peoples’ Militia) was arrested from Rangamatia.

With this, all the founder members of the Maoist movement in the district have been nabbed. Top leaders Girish and Damdeo, who had come from Jharkhand to strengthen their base in the district, were earlier nabbed by Ranchi and Rourkela police respectively.

Chintamani, who is an orphan and a sharpshooter, said poverty led to his joining the Naxal ranks. Deogarh SP Shafin Ahmed K said Chintamani was involved in the murder of Harish Nayak, Bhubaneswar Nayak of village Raniguda and Prabhat alias Mahi Pradhan of village Telikusum on June 21.

He was also involved in the attack on OSAP personnel at Bana Durga Mandir at Badrama in October, 2005 in which one personnel was killed and weapons looted, Shafin added.

He further said Chintamani was also involved in the burning of earth-moving machinery at Sindurpank and an active hardcore member of the CPI (Maoists).

Moreover, one James, an explosive expert, has been detained by Sambalpur police. Such is his skill in explosives and IEDs that his services were sought in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Girish, Damdeo, Goverdhan Budek, James, Chintamani, Dhanu Dehuri and one Robin are believed to be the top-rung leaders of the Left outfit operating in the districts of Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Deogarh.

Confessions by Ganesh led to the arrest of Girish and Damdeo while interrogation of James led to seizure of huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives.

It is also learnt that two more hardcore Naxal cadres are detained by Deogarh Police and they are being interrogated.

Jagatsinghpur (Orissa): The Orissa police, which was successful last week in entering the site of the proposed POSCO project for the first time in two-and-a-half years, says a larger threat is looming over the area.

READ ALERT: Naxals might have entered the

disputed villages to fight on behalf of anti-POSCO activists

Now, Naxals might have entered the disputed villages to fight on behalf of anti-POSCO activists. They also say that Naxals might have piled up sophisticated arms and ammunition here.

“We are getting reports that the Naxals are trying to enter the POSCO site. So we have made heavy deployment and are not allowing any one in,” says SP, Jagatsinghpur, R K Sharma.

More than four platoons of police were deployed at the proposed $12-billion steel plant site after violent protests between villagers for and against the project nearly 10 days ago.

With people not being allowed to enter or exit the area, the villagers are facing trouble.

“This area is totally gheraoed by the police. How can we get rations? This is totally undemocratic and oppressive measure by the state government,” says Chairman, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Abhaya Sahoo.

But they’ve also warned that any provocation by the police and they will give a fitting reply. The Orissa government is pushing to acquire land for the project despite stiff opposition from villagers.

“It is the question of our survival. We will fight till our last blood. Let the government build POSCO on our grave,” says a villager Manjulata Samantaray.

To make matters worse, there is a real threat of Naxals striking in the name of anti-POSCO activists and pro-POSCO supporters backed by the state government counter-attacking the villagers opposed to the project.

District Superintendent of Police Satish Kumar Gajbhiye said a fun a large number of posters and banners pertaining to the Maoists’ campaign about the ongoing People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) week.

As the Maoists are observing the PLGA week beginning from December 2, police have intensified their patrolling and combing operation in the district as well as neighbouring Koraput and Rayagada districts.

The police had sealed the State’s borders with Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh as they were apprehending Maoist violence during the PLGA week.

Meanwhile, roads continued to wear a deserted look for the fourth day on Wednesday in Kalimela, Motu, MV-79 and Padia areas of the district.

JEYPORE: As part of the ongoing People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) week, Maoist groups in southern parts of the State have geared up activities to lure youths, particularly from tribal pockets, into their groups.

As many as 2,000 youths had already been inducted into different Maoist groups in Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput.

Locals said the Maoist leaders have clarified before the public that they had no intention to harm the public anywhere in the tribal areas during PLGA week but the Naxals have warned the security agencies through posters, banners and leaflets put up at Malkangiri, Rayagada and Koraput districts.

Despite ‘assurances’ by the Maoists for public safety during PLGA, the fear psyche still prevails among the transporters in Malkangiri and Rayagada districts.

On the second day of the Week on Monday, no commuters were seen in these pockets anticipating attacks. Police said that both police and para-military forces are on alert to check any untoward incident.

South-eastern range DIG S K Nath held discussions with the SPs of Naxal strongholds on Monday and directed them to closely monitor the situation.

SAMBALPUR: A retired college principal and his son were detained for suspected links with Maoists and huge quantities of explosives seized.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided a house at Chauldhipa in Rengali area of Sambalpur district on Monday and seized 297 pieces of gelatine sticks, 37 kg power gel and another high explosive weighing 25 kg, Sambalpur SP Sanjay Kumar said on Tuesday.

The team also seized 34 detonators, 500 metres of fuse wire and 250-metre detonator charging wire during the raid, the SP said, adding those explosives could be meant for Maoists.

The retired principal of Surajmal College, Rengali, Tulsidas Mahana and his son Seshadev Mahana (26), have been detained for interrogation. Kumar said the family did not have the licence to store, buy or sell explosives.

He refuted claims that the explosives seized were meant for quarrying. There was every possibility that those could have been diverted to the Naxals, he added.

Wanted by the police of six states for 16 years, the rebel admitted having killed more than 106 persons, including two dozen policemen in 47 cases.

He was nabbed by the special task force led by inspector Vijay Kumar after his mobile number was intercepted by the deputy inspector-general of Bokaro Anurag Gupta, following a tip-off from a Maoist youth about Dhiren’s stay in Ranchi, Bundu, Sambalpur and Sundargarh recently.

Dhiren, who joined the red brigade at the age of 17, said: “I joined the organisation to change the social system which is being run by the bourgeoisie clan. No doubt I killed several innocents who came in our way. But I became highly successful in Orissa.I do not repent joining the red brigade.”

Cases which the Maoist spearheaded includes two dozen cases of police killings and arms loot of Kisinda, Naktali Dual, Jujumura, Jamunkira, Charmal and Sambalpur, in which more than two dozen policemen were killed.

He also led a Bagodar mass killing in 1998, Churchu policemen blast case in 2000, in which 13 policemen died and dozens of arms were looted rifle, killing of six policemen and loot of rifles at Barhi in 2000 and killing of four innocent persons at Ichak I and several others..

Jamshedpur (PTI): Two naxalites were on Saturday injured in an encounter with a joint combing team near Barunia in extremist-hit Ghatsila sub-division of Jharkhand.

The encounter took place after the police and CRPF started long range patrolling in naxalite-stronghold areas of the sub-division following a tip-off that a group of CPI(Maoist) ultras had gathered in a jungle near the village, the police said.

Police retaliated after the ultras opened fire at the them on seeing them approaching the jungle, Police Superintendent Navin Kumar Singh said.

Intermittent firing from both camps was going on, Singh said, adding that the bordering states of Orissa and Bengal were alerted.

No casuality was reported from the police camp till 4 pm, Singh said.

The two naxalites who sustained bullet injuries were taken away by their group members, he said.

Police have seized a rifle, two pistols, can bombs, detonators, uniform and other articles left by the ultras on the spot.

Bhubaneswar, Nov 3 – Maoist guerrillas in one of the violence-scarred districts of Orissa are equipped with latest hi tech gadgets and modern weapons, according to police.‘The Maoists in Malkangiri district use extortion money – collected from traders and village level politicians – to buy latest equipments, including satellite phones and modern weaponry,’ Satish Gojbhie, district superintendent of police, told IANS Saturday.Of the 30 districts in Orissa, Malkangiri is one of 11 affected by leftist insurgency.

According to Gojbhie, the insurgents in the district are financially sound.He said that one of the arrested members of Andhra-Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee of CPI-Maoist, Sriramulu Srinivasa Rao, 37, has confessed that he was collecting at least Rs.20 million every month from the district.

The Maoist who faces at least 37 criminal charges was arrested this July. ‘Malkangiri district has no industry nor does it have mines. From his confession it is evident that village level politicians such as ward members, sarpanch and some non-government organisations are providing them with regular cash,’ Gojbhie said.‘The ultras have a few satellite phones although I cannot give exact numbers,’ he added.